Who’s Watching You? Spyware/Adware Epidemic
Because they probably are! The National Cyber Security Alliance estimates that spyware/adware infects at least 90% of desktop PCs in the world. Designed to be unobtrusive, these malicious programs silently bypass anti-virus software and firewalls without your knowledge. Once on your computer they go about collecting your personal information and affecting your system's performance.
Why Spyware?
It's a booming $2 billion dollar a year industry. Aggressive business advertisers want to know where you browse on the Internet, what you buy online, what your interest are. Unfortunately they are falling into what this author believes are questionable tactics.
Other spyware is more nefarious, collecting your usernames, passwords, bank accounts, credit card numbers, etc, and passing those along to criminals intent on stealing your identity.
How Does it Get On My Computer?
Sorry, but the most common way spyware gets installed is you, the user, install it. The spyware is embedded, attached or bundled with freeware programs with cute icons or a cool game or something like that. Once downloaded and installed the spyware program goes about its business collecting data for its creator to use or sell to a third-party. P2P programs are notorious for being infected with spyware programs.
Always pay attention to license agreements that come with programs. Usually the user will be warned that spyware is about to be installed. You have to read the fine print and decided whether its worth giving up some of your personal information in return for having the program on your PC.
Spyware is also distributing by tricking you into bypassing security features in your web browser designed to prevent unwanted and dangerous installations. A pop-up that looks like a standard Windows dialog box usually appears on your screen asking if you would like to optimize your Internet connection. A download and installation of the spyware program will commence whether you press "Yes" or "No". Newer versions of browsers now make this path for installing spyware more difficult.
Other spyware applications attack known security holes in web browsers or other software. Typically this occurs when you go to a webpage that contains code designed to attack the browser and force the installation of the spyware program.
What Can Spyware Programs Do?
Spyware can take on a variety of malicious jobs, some simply annoying to the user and others that are downright dangerous and illegal.
Spyware has been seen to:
Read your cookies
Install other spyware programs
Read the applications installed on your computer
Scan files located on your computer
Log your keystrokes
Steal credit card numbers, passwords and other personal information
Change the default settings on your home page web browser
Mutate into other forms making it difficult to remove
Cause your computer to run slower
Deliver annoying pop up advertisements
Provide no uninstall options and install itself in hidden places
...and a whole lot of other things. This is just a very short list of things spyware/adware is being used for.
Stopping Spyware/Adware
First, don't install software without thoroughly reading the license agreement.
Second, don't install software without thoroughly scanning the download with both your anti-virus and anti-spyware program. Yes, there is such a thing as anti-spyware software. Lavasoft's Ad-Aware and Windows Defender are good places to start. There are other options that include anti-spyware protection included in the anti-virus application.
Another possibility is changing the browser that you use. Other web browsers like Firefox and Opera are options that you can install and use.
Finally, you the user are the final and ultimate point of security for your PC and the information contained on it. Always be aware of where you are browsing on the Internet and always be suspicious of why someone would want to give you a very nice piece of software for free. Remember, if it looks to good to be true...it probably is too good to be true.